


Fullmetal Alchemist:  The Rise of Ishval

by BuggyNess



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: F/M, side chapter of FMA:B, side chapter of the FMA manga
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-12
Updated: 2016-01-28
Packaged: 2018-05-06 08:54:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5410679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BuggyNess/pseuds/BuggyNess
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's great to see Winry, Gran and Den while on a mission investigating a nearby town. So just what are these creatures attacking the little village of Ratzul? What's the deal with the creepy little girl who controls an army of monsters and the undead created by alchemy? Ed and Al have have to protect the ones they love, at all costs. Side story to FMA:B/fma manga. EdxWin. Zombies!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Homecoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "What are you going to do about these reports, Colonel?"
> 
> "I'm two steps ahead of you." Colonel Mustang picked up his own cup. "I've sent the Elrics to investigate."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 12/12/15 A/N: My very first FMA fanfiction. Updating and fixing some goofy stuff and cross posting to Ao3.

She was one of the last children of Ishval, born during the last waning days of the unpleasantness of war. Her people were decimated but she survived, orphaned but alive. The girl couldn't remember her homeland, her parents or her family. She only knew hardship and surviving in the slums or whatever encampments the Amestrians allowed her "kind" to live. A child cannot grow into a woman of peace under such hardship and oppression.

War scarred her life and that life was just a small speck among the human masses also afflicted by such strife. However, only a handful of humans possessed what she possessed and learned to master. Call it alchemy, alchehestry or magic, it became the tool to give her might. In her mind, it also became the one and only truth and despite the power struggles of the current Amestrian regime, she yearned to make it the world's one and only truth as well.

Her forces amassed and grew ready to battle.

* * *

"The papers are full of these nonsense stories lately." He folded up his Central Currier and slammed it to the table, shaking the teacups.

"The people are scared and need a diversion from the current tension here in Central." Hawkeye raised one of the cups and took a sip. "It wouldn't surprise me at all if these were made up by someone in the establishment to get them talking about something other than the Fuhrer and problems here." She spoke with little emotion.

"Lieutenant, you sound like a conspiracy theorist?" He raised one corner of his mouth devilishly partly revealing white teeth through the half-smile. "That, my friend, could land you in trouble."

"You told me to speak freely during tea."

"True."

"What are you going to do about these reports, Colonel?"

"I'm two steps ahead of you." Colonel Mustang picked up his own cup. "I've sent the Elrics to investigate."

"So, you think there is some truth to the newspapers? Do you really think someone is stealing the dead?"

"What do you think?"

"Colonel," She lowered her cup and stared into Mustang's deep dark eyes. "I think Ed's gotten on your last nerve and you are getting him out of Central."

"That's harsh. He's one of my top investigators."

"Really..." She took a long sip.

* * *

"Al!" A long drawn out whine swirled with the wind through the long meadow grass. "C'mon, Alllllllll!"

The rolling green hills swirled as the wind whipped and whirled and a blonde mop of hair ran after a giant.

"Holy shit, brother, STOP!" Edward Elric came into view as he topped a hill. He bent over panting after running to keep up with the suit of armor that still ignored him. "Damnit! I'm sorry! Quit being a pussy and STOP!" He swore.

"Are you  _really_  sorry?" The steel giant stopped. "Really?"

"Yes."  _Pant. Cough_. "I'm hoarking up a lung here trying to catch up with you, of course I'm sorry."

"Ed," The seven foot tall suit of armor turned, his hollow eyes showing their unnatural glow, the glow of his soul bonded to the suit. "Tell me then, _why_  are you sorry?"

"Does it matter?" _Pant, groan, spit_ , "I'm. I'm here." He fell over, utilizing every ounce of drama his small frame could muster, his legs falling last with a thump.

"Ok, then," the armor turned back around and began walking, energized and with vigor away from the boy splayed out in the grass. "See ya."

"Al! I. Can't. Keep up!" He whined. "My legs..."

"...are too short?" Al couldn't help himself.

"...Are tired!" Ed shot up having a button pushed about his stature. He exhaled and lowered his blonde head, he'd have to suck up to the big guy or Al was going to kill him with all this cardio trying to keep up. "Ok. I'm sorry...for...for..."

"I'm listening, " Al replied slowing down.

"I apologize for dumping you at the last town." He bowed, feigning reverence. "For ditching you."

"And  _why_  did you ditch me?" He was liking this.

"Because I'm a moron who wanted to sneak a drink at the pub."

"...And?"

"...with a girl." He plopped down. Ed couldn't understand Al being so upset at him for wanting to flirt with a girl. If the tables were turned, he wouldn't get his panties in a wad if some girl showed Al attention. Then again, this girl, she wasn't Winry. Not close.

The armor turned and plopped down next to the boy.

"See." He patted Ed's back with a thud, almost knocking him over. "That wasn't so hard. You know, I just want to keep you honest."

"Celibate, you mean?" Ed snarled.

"Honest, celibate, to-may-to, to-mat-to..."Al giggled. He knew his big brother would thank him when they got to Resembool. He wouldn't have made it hung over and covered in hickies. He wouldn't have wanted to make it in that shape, and incur the wrath of Winry. "We are close to the road now. Want to rest more?"

"Yeah." Ed flopped his back down in the cool grass. For a minute, he thought about taking off his left glove so he could feel the soft green carpet. He longed to toss the heavy-soled boots and wool sock and feel the same coolness between the toes on his right foot. No need to remove the glove on his right hand, or the boot on his left foot for they were unfeeling, metal and cold as well. Automail limbs couldn't feel grass, it could only squash it. Besides, It would take too much time getting that stuff back on anyway so he threw away that idea. Still, the long grass tickling his cheek was almost as nice as being barefoot. "I've taken good care of it this time, Al."

"Yes, you have. You even used the expensive oil on the joints. She'll be pleased."

"I hope so or I'll get another wrench in the brain." He chuckled and flexed his prosthetic fist. Winry. Her name reminded him of all this swirling damn wind and he realized his heart was racing and he was panting again.

"Brother, are you ok?" Al sensed the change in Ed's physiology.

"Yeah," He coughed. "Just a bit wore out after running to catch up with you." He lied and he heart rhythms returned to normal. "Ready to get to the road now?" He jumped up and dusted the grass off his black pants. Ed rearranged his long red coat as the wind whipped it around. The wind also whipped and swirled his long blonde hair, messily pulled high with a single band. "I think I can beat you there." His golden eyes twinkled and he shot off with renewed speed.

"Oh, no you don't!" Al reached up and grabbed Ed's ponytail, stopping his momentum and causing him to fall harmlessly backwards to the earth again. The younger brother quickly overcame the elder and sped off.

"You jerk!" Ed quickly got back up, rubbing his head and ran after his longer legged brother.

* * *

"Granny, the Tenstu Times has a similar story on page two." The slender girl leafed through the paper amazed. "It says that the cemetery on Ratzull Hill was disturbed Monday night and every single grave was emptied, even the old crypts." She wiped the sweat from her brow, effective only smearing the grease on her hand across her forehead.

"Do you think some young punks would clear out a historic graveyard for fun?"

"Winry, if those dead souls were buried with valuables, I wouldn't put it past them." The older lady smiled and took off her surgeon gloves, throwing them in the trash. "These are hard times with many desperate people..." She began washing up in the kitchen sink and discarding her paper apron which was dotted with red. "I'm releasing Mr. Frankz to his family now, I think you did a fine job installing the port for his foot. He'll be back in two weeks for the automail...you'll have it ready, won't you?" She grabbed a towel to wipe her hands.

"Pa-leese, it's halfway done now. Nothing to making a foot." Her head was covered with a dirty handkerchief and she wore grubby overalls. However, the heat of the surgery and workroom made her unbutton the top so that it fell around her waist tied in the back. A black tube top covered her bust but revealed her midsection. She took her soiled hand and scratched an itch on her belly, subsequently smearing more grease and some blood across her abdomen.

"You might want to clean up since we are done." Pinako Rockbell uttered as she walked out of the kitchen to attend to her patient and his family.

"C'mon!" Winry snapped back. "I'm gonna finish that foot, I'll just get more dirty in the shop anyway." She stretched and yawned. Winry heard her dog Den barking outside but she didn't think too much about it. It was probably Mr. Frankz's family helping him to the car. She heard Granny Pinako giving them instructions on the care of his newly installed port until the flesh around it healed enough for the insertion of the automail foot. A few car door's slammed and the roar of an engine sounded and then dwindled off in the distance. But, Den continued to bark. "Silly dog, "Winry thought and started off for her shop until she heard Granny's voice outside.

"And look what decided to pay us a visit?"

Winry's heart skipped a beat. Could it be? "Ed...Al?" She whispered to herself and then wished she had cleaned up. The last time the Eric brothers graced her home for a visit they came because Ed had trashed his automail and had to arrive with Major Armstrong for protection. "God-damn-it," she put her hands on her hips and defiantly walked towards the door, taking two strides at a time. "He's wrecked it again. Only comes around when he's mangled..." She gritted her teeth and grabbed the door handle and jerked the door inward at the same time as someone was opening it and pushing it open. This caused the person on the other side of the door to lose his balance and fall into the house. Instead of falling on the floor, he was cushioned by the ample breasts of Winry Rockbell with his chin resting comfortably in the middle, the petrified girl holding both of them up teetering back and forth like a plank on a fulcrum.

"Brother!" Al's somewhat echoing voice boomed from inside his armor.

Winry's left eye twitched and her cheeks blushed pink as she looked down. Looking up into her face and between her bosom two amber eyes starred terrified into her own blue orbs. Ed's cheeks blushed bright pink and he tried to smile and as he did, his chin dug painfully in Winry's sternum causing her to jump backwards dropping him on the floor with a loud thunk.

"Granny Pinako?" Al could hardly subdue his giggles. He turned to the tiny old woman who didn't seem affected at all by the scene in front of her, instead she puffed away on her pipe. "Is this what they call flirting?" He couldn't stop laughing.

"Something like that." Pinako cracked a microscopic grin and gave Ed a small nudge with her foot to see if he was still alive. "Get up, boy, you look like furniture there on the floor." She walked past him and into the kitchen. Ed rubbed his red chin and slowly got up.

"So! Where is it? What did you do to  _MY_  automail!" Winry grabbed the red sleeve of his coat, pulling his arm to her. She pushed it back and jerked the white glove off, letting it fall to the floor. Holding on to Ed's index finger she twisted his right arm around examining what she could of the automail arm from the elbow to the fingertips. "Ok..." She squinted, not trusting what she found with the arm. "The arm  _seems_ ok, but I'll have to get you out of your shirt to examine your shoulder and the port." Ed blushed. Winry dropped his arm and in a split second, she grabbed his left ankle raising it high in the air. Before he could protest, she had Ed's boot off, letting it fall to the floor and she rotated his metal foot around, holding it by his big toe. Perfect. "In my shop! Now!" She pointed in the direction of the shop angered that apparently Ed had  _NOT_  broken his automail and this left her determined to _FIND_  a blemish she could whack him over the head with a wrench for causing.

"Winry." Alphonse's soft voice shattered her anger with Edward. She dropped the eldest Elric's foot, causing him to wobble to keep from falling down again. Her eyes darted to the looming suit of ancient armor in front of her, tears welling up as she hugged him tenderly, avoiding the spikes on his shoulders.

"Al." She breathed in smelling the bland metal and heady leather of the armor and stepped back.

"How come  _HE_  gets a hug and I get _inspected_?" Ed demanded.

"Because," Winry gently nudged Edward in his side with her elbow then began dragging Al by his huge finger toward the kitchen. "You got a much better greeting than I was prepared to give already." Ed blushed as the two walked past him into the kitchen. Winry stopped to point again in the direction of her shop. "Shop! Now!"

"Ok, Ok." His shoulders slumped in defeat and he walked toward her shop. Pinako's voice echoed in his ears.

"Dinner won't be ready for a while and there will be plenty for seconds and thirds."

Ed, smiled and took off his coat and began unzipping his shirt as he walked into Winry's workshop. God bless that old woman. It would not take long for Winry to realize his...er,  _HER_  automail was in perfect working condition and then he could eat dinner.


	2. Hairy Palms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Winry? What...what did you do?" He couldn't understand the sensation. It had been over five years since he lost his arm and gained the mobile prosthesis. Although his muscle memory and remaining nerves helped him move the metal appendage, except for the occasional phantom limb pains, he couldn't actually feel it. 
> 
> At least, not until now.

Edward folded his red coat and placed it neatly on one of the clean tables in Winry's shop.  He surveyed the room, taking in the smell of oil, gears and metal.  Just like he remembered.  The sameness of the room comforted him. He unzipped his black jacket and set it on his coat, then he did the same for his heavy boots and black pants.  Now, clad only in a black tee shirt and red boxers, Ed turned toward the chair he knew all too well, the chair he would probably have to sit in for a few hours while Winry did made magic with her automail.

 

"Coffee?" Her voice surprised him, making him jump.

 

"Ah, yeah, that'd be nice."  He smiled, getting comfy in the padded chair. He took the steaming mug from her right hand as she sat beside him, her mug in her left. She took a sip. He smiled and sipped his own.  "Granny's motor oil, huh?"  He referred to the strong brew.

 

"I'm used to it."  Winry smiled setting the mug on the table.

 

"I like it too," Ed took another sip as the girl reached for a large black case on the nearby shelf.  It was heavy and Ed had to resist his urge to help her lift it.  She lugged it over to them just fine, she was stronger than she looked.  "That my new 'mail?"  He placed his coffee on the table too.

 

"Ed, THIS, is what I hope, my finest work to date."  Her eyes beamed as she fingered the latch to the case.  "It represents my father's legacy."  She bent her head down, shadowing her eyes.  The memory of her deceased father and mother clearly evident.  Ed wanted to place his flesh hand upon hers, but resisted. Winry quickly recovered and shot him her blue-eyed gaze, which was full of pride.  She opened it revealing a shiny automail leg and arm, nestled safely in gray foam.

 

"Nice, Winry."  Ed liked that it was shiny, but other than that, it looked just like the model he wore.

 

"You don't know the half of it yet."  She smiled, running her ivory hand down the metal of the arm.  "I'm not entirely sure it will work, I've had no one to test it on.  But my dad's calculations are correct, I've been over it a million times.  Granny too."  She set the open case down on the floor in front of her and she got up and leaned over Ed to get to his right arm.

 

"Ok..."  Ed suddenly felt warm as Winry's breasts brushed his chest, but she didn't notice, she was pushing his short sleeve up so she could get to the port attachment for his right arm.

 

"It would help if you'd turn a little."  It perturbed her that Ed just sat there like lump.

 

"Sorry, that better?"  He turned his body toward her.

 

"Thanks."  She found the release hidden in his shoulder port and with a quick turn and click, she had the arm off, holding it by his elbow joint.  "There!  Out with the old,"  She placed the perfectly good arm down on another table.  "And, in with the new."  She plucked the new arm out of it's foam and raised it up to the empty shoulder socket.  "Do you need anything to bite on?"

 

"Ah, no."  Ed knew the agony of automail replacement.  The steel limb contained a bio-steam powered electric generator.   When the contact of the limb met the contact of the port, new electric  signals fired.   The nerves in his body and the automail's wiring met with a bombastic jolt exploding in what remained of the flesh shoulder socket. It always hurt. 

 

"I'm sorry, Ed.  I'll be quick."  She put the arm up, getting ready to shove it in place in the metal socket.  "One.  Two.  THREE!"  She shoved the arm in its new port.

 

"GOD DAMN! FUCK IT!"  The expletives flowed from his mouth, he couldn't help it and it really did help ease the pain.  Ed panted and took his left hand to wipe a bit of drool from the corner of his mouth.

 

Al was chopping carrots, helping Pinako get dinner ready in the kitchen.  They both heard Edward's scream.  The old woman raised an eyebrow and with no emotion spoke, "Edward got his new arm."  She said and went about her business.

 

The suit of armor sighed. It hurt  _him_   tremendously every time his brother went through the misery of automail insertion.  However, if he could smile, he would have because Alphonse was learning a slew of new curse words from his brother whenever he was in pain.

 

Edward's cussing had no effect on Winry.  She was used to it. He wasn't the only poor soul who shouted them in front of her after she or her Granny inserted new automail.  "Ed?"  She stepped back, eyeing the boy curiously.  "How, how is it?"

 

He sat straighter in his seat and flexed the new arm.  The shoulder joint rolled smoothly as he rotated the limb.  He bent the elbow and liked the feel of that too.  Ed clinched the fist into a ball and released it, thinking Winry was an artist. Something was strange, though and different.

 

"Well?"  Her eyes sparkled and grew large.  She was waiting.

 

"Winry?  What...what did you do?"  He couldn't understand the sensation.  It had been over five years since he lost his arm and gained the mobile prosthesis.  Although his muscle memory and remaining nerves helped him move the metal appendage,  except for the occasional phantom limb pains, he couldn't actually _feel_ it.  At least, not until now.

 

"Give me your hand, Ed."  She held out her own as he lowered the steel hand to her.   She tenderly placed her palm in his and squeezed gently. "Well?"

 

Edward's eyes grew large.  He could not believe what he was feeling.  Her hand was warm and soft.  Through the metal, gears, and wires, he was picking up the sensation of actually holding Winry's hand. He blushed. "Your, your hand..." he stammered.  "I feel it."

 

"Granny! It worked!"  She shot up and jumped up and down, raising her arms up. "Hot Damn!"  She whooped and hollered in glee.

 

"Good job, dear."  Pinako's voice carried down from the kitchen.

 

"How?"

 

"My dad figured it out."  She was out of breath from jumping around.  "He just didn't get to implement it before he and mom..."  She sat down, a shock of sadness hitting her at the memories of her parents."  …left for Ishval."  She picked up Edward's hand again.  "Granny and I found his notes while cleaning up the shop.  He'd hidden them pretty good."  She smiled.  Winry turned the metal hand over so that the palm was facing up.  "See there?"  She pointed to the pads of the fingers.  "That's the new technology."  She ran her finger across the pads of his fingers and Edward shivered at his new receptivity.  "Each finger pad and the palm is covered in a special fabric.  It's water proof, of course...and, it took me a year to make enough for the whole hand."  She brought his hand up to eye level and reached over to the table nearest them and grabbed a large magnifying glass.  "See?"

 

Edward squinted at the large black pad behind the glass.  Covering it were teeny, tiny hairs.  "Hairs?"  The expression on his face changed.

 

"Well..."

 

"So you're telling me..."  Ed interrupted .  "You gave me  _hairy_   palms!"

 

"And fingers!"  She corrected, then realized the boy's double entendre.   "Ed, you are terrible."  She smacked his crown playfully, mussing up his hair.  They are not actually _hairs_ , silly."   Winry placed the magnifying glass back on the table.  "They are actually fine wires.   EACH one, I had to place by hand.  I nearly made myself myopic inserting enough AND soldering them to the connections underneath."

 

"Still looks like hair."

 

"Get over it, how does it  _feel?_ Is it the same as your real hand?

 

"Well, no."  He placed his automail hand on top of his flesh hand.  "It's different, I don't know how to describe it."

 

"Can I run a few tests?  I need to run through some different tactility drills with you."  She grabbed her coffee mug.

 

"Sure."  He was used to being Winry's guinea pig.

 

"Ok, close your eyes and no peaking, I want you to tell me honestly what you feel."   The mechanic took his new index finger and placed it above the steam of the coffee.  "Describe this."

 

Ed scrunched his brows.  "Warm...I feel warm!"  the blonde girl then lowered the fingertip in the hot liquid, Ed jerked it out.  "Hot! That's too hot!"  He fought the urge to place his finger in his mouth.  He realized he also just felt pain.

 

"Wow! That hurt you?" Winry asked. "I thought that you'd be able to touch, and feel hot or cold, but didn't realize that it would let you feel pain.

 

"Any way to turn that side effect off?"  Ed chuckled.

 

"Afraid not. Keep your eyes closed!"  She pulled his hand toward her face.  "What does this feel like?"  She leaned in and gently but quietly blew across his hand.

 

"Um..."Ed squirmed as the hairs on the back of his neck raised and an electric shiver ran down his spine igniting a feeling in his lower body that he often felt around her.  "Ah, that was...air?"  He opened his golden eyes to meet her ocean blues.

 

"It works!"  She hugged him tightly and shot back, resuming her celebratory jumping session.  He stared at her incredulously before she calmed down and seated herself again.  "Sorry...just so excited!"

 

"What about my leg?"

 

"Oh."  She turned a crank and one of the leg rests on the chair moved upward, raising Ed's left leg.  At the same time, the back of the chair reclined slightly.  "Let's see."  Winry first examined the foot, turning and moving all the toes, moving her way up to the ankle and knee joints.  She removed the shin guard and fingered some of the internal parts.  She took a squeeze bottle of oil and shot a few squirts here and there, then replaced the shin guard.  Winry then ran both hands on each side of the knee then up the metal thigh to the reddish line where the port met Ed's skin.  She noticed Ed wriggle in his seat a little, evidence  that her left hand perched precariously on his inner thigh.  The involuntary actions of his body to her touch (even though her movements were necessary to fit his limbs) made her smile.  He may be her childhood friend, almost a brother, but he was definitely still a teenager AND a male.  "This leg is in excellent condition."  She sat back.  "I can polish the metal to match the new arm, but unless you want this new one, you should be fine."

 

"What about the hairy things?"  Edward asked as Winry turned the crank, lowering his leg and raising the back of the chair to sitting position again.

 

"I didn't put the sensors in the foot...not yet.  I didn't figure as much as you walk, you'd want to feel the bottom of your shoe.  Plus, I ran out of materials."

 

"Makes sense."

 

"I don't have to remove your leg to polish the metal, I know it hurts too."

 

"That would be great."  He was relieved.  The arm insertion was worse, it hurt like a bitch, but the leg was pretty bad too.

 

"How...how long are you staying this time."  Her words cut with a tinge of hurt.

 

"Not long, Win, a few days."  He knew this was a sore spot.  One of the things the brothers did that vexed Winry, one of the  _many_   things was that they never stayed long before moving on to more danger.  Ed sighed, noticing a tiny frown mar her lovely but dirty face.  The alchemist knew that they also never called before their visits.  "I, I tried to take better care of the automail this time..."  He was grasping at straws.

 

"I know, you did a good job, Ed."  She stood up and picked up her coffee.

 

"Al and I are on an assignment."

 

"For the military."  She finished his sentence in a monotone voice.  "You can get dressed, I'll work on your leg after dinner, won't take long."  The girl grabbed his pile of clothes and unceremoniously dumped them in his lap with her free hand.  

 

"Winry, don't get pissed at me."   He rotated in his chair and started putting the pants back on. "You know Colonel Bastard has me running all over Amestris these days."  He stood up, pulling the black pants up, zipping them and buckling his belt as he spoke.

 

"I know."  She walked toward the door.  "You and Al are driven, have a purpose.  I understand, Ed."  Winry wondered if any of the brother's desires included her.

 

"Good."  He picked up his coat, jacket and placed his boots on top to carry them all.

 

"I guess  _for now_ , Granny and I will always be here when you decide to come around...or when you need fixed."  She walked out of the room as her words seeped into his mind.

 

"For now?"  Ed thought Winry put emphasis when she said that.

 

"Dinner's ready!"  Alphonse shouted from the kitchen.

 

Edward Elric shook his head.  He couldn't understand why his mechanic and friend always ended up mad.  She perplexed him, nothing he did ever seemed to keep her happy.   Ed knew whenever he messed up his automail, he deserved the girl's ire, but it worked perfectly when he arrived today and yet she still seemed angry.   The boy figured he'd never comprehend Winry.  He sighed and followed the girl out of the room.


	3. Buttons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She met his eyes, he clearly did not have a clue where she was going with this.

Winry's hands fidgeted with the buttons on her nightshirt as she peered outside her own bedroom.  Down the hallway and next to Granny's door was the boy's room.  She heard Ed and Al's muffled voices from inside and she smiled because they sounded like two brother's _should_   which was happy.  She closed her eyes and pretended Alphonse was not a seven foot tall suit of armor, but once again a boy of fourteen with golden hair and eyes a darker amber color than his older brother's.   Sitting in the bed next to him, Edward would lunge forward and playfully punch Al's shoulder with his very real right arm.  No automail.  No armor.  If the boys were made whole, Ed could drop out of the military and they both could stay here where she could keep them safe.  It was a nice daydream.

"Now or never, Win." She whispered out load and slowly drug her feet down the hallway toward their room.  The mechanic knew her time with them, with _Edward_ , was limited.  His path in this life crossed Amestris with danger and violence.  As long as he lived as a dog of the military trying to make their bodies whole again, Ed was never safe.    Other than that he'd restore his brother's body, the oldest Elric brother never promised her or anyone else in his life _anything_ because he knew he might not be able to keep those promises.  He and Al had nothing.  No parents.  No home.  No childhood.  Winry and Granny wanted to be their family and all but adopted the brothers, but the Elric boys were too driven to fix their wrongs to realize it.  It used to make her cry, make her upset but as long as they kept returning she understood that there was nothing she could do but be happy with the now, happy with the moments with them.  She took a deep breath and knocked so softly the boys barely heard.

"Come in," Al's voice beckoned, his sharp hearing just picking up soft tapping.

She turned the handle slowly and opened the door just wide enough to allow her slender frame to pass, closing it behind her.  "Hey."

"Weren't you sleeping?"  Edward was sitting up in his bed, wearing his blue pajamas, happy to have clothes kept at the Rockbell's but also irked that he hadn't outgrown them yet.  His golden hair flowed around his shoulders, still damp from the shower he took earlier.  He patted the bed, motioning her to sit next to him. She did.

"I couldn't sleep.  It's gotten too warm in the house.  What about you two?"

"Brother and I were just talking.  Were we too loud?" Alphonse questioned.

"No."  She smiled at Al and thought she'd put up with a million nights of interrupted sleep if he and Ed were the ones waking her.  "What were you two talking about?"

"Don't you dare, tell her Alphonse!"  Ed growled.

"Brother, you're too sensitive.  Winry, we were talking about what we were going to do when we get our bodies back."  Edward flashed his brother a snarl and settled down.

"That sounds like a fun thing to think about."  She smiled at Edward who was still scowling at this brother.  "Why wouldn't you want me to know?"

"Ed's embarrassed by what he just told me."

"I am not."

"You can tell, me, Ed."  Winry pleaded.

"He said that he's not sure he'll be able to sleep well when we get our bodies back."  Alphonse interrupted cheerfully.  "Because he's used to having me awake and watching over him as he sleeps."

"That's sort of sweet, Edward."  She smiled.

"I won't be able to watch over him, because I'll be sleeping too.  I can't wait to do that again.  AND to eat. I want to eat LOTS of food."  Al was getting carried away.  He plopped back on his bed, the weight of the armor making the springs squeak.

"Maybe Edward will have someone else to watch over him then."  She couldn't believe she said that out loud.  She and Ed both blushed and Alphonse chuckled.  "Er, I mean, you know...when you're OLD..."

"I know what you mean." Alphonse whispered.

"Al, is it ok if I steal your brother away for a bit?"  She played with her hands.  "I, I need to speak with him about something."  She stood up. " Ed, can I talk to you, in my room?"

"Winry, you can say it in front of Al..."  Edward protested.

"It's ok, Brother, I have this book... yeah, this book I want to read.  I can't do that when you are snoring."  Alphonse prodded.  "Go on, I'll be here... awake... like always... thinking about eating something like, maybe apples... pears... mmmmmmm, lamb stew."  Winry grabbed Ed's automail arm and drug him with her toward the door as Al droned on about food.  "Chocolate cake and cookies with milk..."  Edward and Winry were out the door, the former making a yucky face at the mention of dairy.

"Shhhh," she raised her finger to her lips as they walked toward her room.  Edward gulped.  Pinako would brain him should she find him in her granddaughter's room at one o'clock in the morning.  Winry closed the door behind them and much to Ed's surprise, she locked it.

"What's going on, Winry?"

"Edward. I feel like time is slipping away from me, from us."  She sat on her bed.  "I don't want to grow up in this world with regrets, with thoughts of letting something pass me by."  She looked down.

"Why do you say that?"  Ed ran to her side, worried.  "Are, are you sick or something?"  This elicited a chuckle from the girl.

"No, you moron."  She grabbed him by his arms.  "It's you!"

"I'm not sick."

"Ack!  It's like I'm talking to Den."  She met his eyes, he clearly did not have a clue where she was going with this.  "You and Al are always fighting, always on some mission.  You have something more important to do in this life than stay in Resembool with me and Granny."  She sighed.  "You've told me more than once, you can't promise me anything because you just don't know if you will return.  I've seen you beaten up and hurt almost as bad as that day Al showed up here with you bloodied and half dead in his arms pleading for us to save you.  It scared the hell out of me that I know you put yourselves in danger trying to make yourselves whole again.  I know that is more important to you, than, than... me."

"Win, what are you saying?"

"Ed," she leaned closer, "I think we should, um... just... get it over with."

"Get... what... over...?"  His words were cut off by her lips, gently covering his mouth.

Edward had kissed a _few_ girls in his travels. Well, a few girls kissed _him_ \- mostly against his will and leaving him stymied. Those few encounters were nothing compared to this kiss.  Winry's warm breath hit his face as her soft lips caressed his own.  Overcoming the initial shock, he quickly met her embrace, wrapping his arms around her small frame and enjoying the new sensation of feeling in his new right hand.  She tasted sweet, like the summer and she smelled warm like clean laundry.  He felt her hands move from his back to the buttons of his pajama shirt.

"Woah, Win?"  He stopped and held her hands in his, on his chest.

"What?"  She took his mouth again and more passionately than before, tried to resume her work on his buttons.  At first he succumbed to her desire, he was a boy after all, a teenage boy at that.  He had fantasized about this, hell, thinking about Winry got him through some really tough spots on his missions.  For some reason, and despite all the electrified nerves in his body igniting his own desire he just couldn't let himself go where she obviously wanted.  He pulled away and held her hands again. "What's the matter, Edward?"  She sat back.

"Winry..."

"You, you, don't want to?"  Her blue eyes started to become glassy.  "You don't want to...with me..."  She pulled her hands to her lap.

"Oh, Win,"  He tried to hold her close to him, but she recoiled.  "There is no one in this whole world I'd want to be with but you."

"Then, what's the problem?"  The look in her eyes changed from sadness to anger.  "I'm a girl, aren't I?"

"Oh, yes, thank God you are female."  Ed chuckle.

"And, you are a boy and we like each other... AND you could die out there, then why is it a problem?"

"I, I don't know.  Just not right."  He scratched the back of his head.  "I don't want you to regret anything, Winry.  Especially if I don't... if Al and I don't come back the next time.

"That's the whole point!  I don't want to see you go and think, _wow what could have been_."

She had a good point.

"Winry," he leaned in and placed his forehead to hers.  "I just don't want things to be weird between us, I'll always have to be a part of your life as long as you work on my limbs."

"Never, it never will be weird.  Well, never weirder than normal."  She smiled.  "Besides, I've read up on this. I t's basic mechanics, you know..."  She grabbed his collar pulling him back on her bed as she pulled the covers over.  They rested in each other's arms, face to face.

"Winry."  His voice echoed in her ears uncharacteristically deep and with purpose.  "I'm sorry."   Ed took her hand in his newly feeling one and squeezed.   "It's just not the right _now._ "   His kind smile told her 'no' but not because it was _her,_ but because despite what she asked, it was not the right time for _him_.    

"You sure?"  She fiddled with the top button on his pajama shirt, waiting for his answer.

Edward longed to worry about his and his brother's quest some other time.   The boy wished he could toss his problems aside for one night and forget everything while he was in Winry's arms.   He hoped not to think about the insurmountable task to get his brother's body back and hopefully his limbs too. He yearned for a brief moment he would not carry the guilt and burdens of the world on his young shoulders.

He decided that right now, despite what his body wanted, he could not forget.   

"Yeah."   The alchemist leaned his forehead, touching hers once more.  

"Can you at least stay?"  Winry felt relieved that despite his initial rejection, the conflict in his eyes and his verbal reassurance told her he wasn't rejecting _her,_ just what she asked him to do with her.

"Sure."   He let his barrier drop and sunk into the mattress.  "I'd... like that."   Ed noticed Winry's cheeks and ears glowed pink and he felt his own face heat up, no doubt just as embarrassed by their little talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I re-wrote portions of this chapter because I felt Ed was out character in the first version. Remember, this was my first FMA fic and I don't think I had a good grasp on how awkward Edward was toward Winry...and how if he couldn't even kiss her goodbye at the end of the manga, there was no way they'd move any faster than than in mid-story. Even the kissing I did keep in this chapter is probably OOC. Gah, but I'm leaving it.


	4. Bite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edward was ready, he had the shotgun, raised it and fell backward. He gulped and pulled the trigger just as the monster reached him.

Edward squinted his eyes as a perfect beam of sunlight struck him right in the face.  He pulled the covers up over his head and tried to go back to sleep, but it wasn't going to happen.  He groaned and decided to get up. He sat up and stretched and rubbed his eyes with his flesh hand.  He was not in his own room with Al. And, he was alone.

"Uh, oh."  He remembered last night and it excited him for a split second before terror set in.  Not sure what sort of mood he'd find Winry, the alchemist poked his head outside the door of her bedroom.   No one was there.   He crept back to his room knowing that there was no way he could sneak past his brother.  "Al?"  A great looming shape sat up from a chair by the windows.

"You are in trouble, Edward."  He said solemnly.  "If you don't tell me EVERYTHING!"  Alphonse's eyes turned into large pink hearts and he got up and ran over to Ed.

"Al..."

"You were there ALL night, brother, I may be younger, but I'm not stupid."  He almost giggled.  "Did you kiss her?"

"Well, yeah..."

"And?"

"C'mon, Al, that's sort of private."

"Did you?"

"NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!" 

"Edward!"

 "Nothing happened and don't you say one thing to Winry.  She promised it wouldn't be weird between us."  Edward slipped off his pajama bottoms and pulled on his black leather pants, black shirt and he lugged on his heavy soled boots.  "I don't want to freak her out or anything."  He couldn't find a brush so ran his fingers through his hair and platted it into a messy braid.  "C'mon, I'm hungry... and we need to get over to Ratzul today and get a report to the Colonel."

"I'll try not to say anything, Brother."  The boys left their room.

* * *

 

Pinako scurried in the kitchen, making oatmeal, bacon and eggs.  She raised an eyebrow as the boys sauntered in.

"Do you need any help, Granny?"  Al offered.

"No, dear, but I think Den wants to play ball, can you handle that so I can have a chat with your brother."  She placed a mug of coffee down in front of Ed.

"I can do that... good luck, Ed."  He grabbed Den's bouncy ball and practically ran out of the house, the black dog with the automail leg followed.

"Great."  Ed muttered, his eyes practically hit the table, he knew he had been caught.

"Edward."  Pinako sat down with her own coffee.

"Nice day, huh, Granny?"  He hoped to change the subject, but it wasn't working.

"Not in MY house, Edward."

"What?"

"I would be a terrible guardian to both you and Winry if I condoned that in my house."  She said this matter-of-factly. "That said, I was your age once..."

"... back when dinosaurs roamed the earth..."  Ed muttered under this breath only to be whacked on the head with a small frying pan that Pinako had hidden in her left hand.  "Owie."

"... and I know how it feels to be young, or think you are in love."  She placed the frying pan down and pulled a small package out of her pocket and placed it in front of Edward.  "Here."

"What?"  Ed picked up the package and read the label.  "Condoms?"  He felt like he was going to throw up.

"I had the same talk with Winry very early this morning.  She tried to sneak out of her room this morning and I saw you sleeping in her _bed._ "

"I'm going to be sick."  Ed moaned holding his stomach.  "I swear, Granny, nothing happened."  Pinako took in the boy's earnest look but didn't answer him.  "Where is Winry?"

"She said the same thing, then went down to her shop to work."  The old woman kept scrutinizing the boy and despite the way she found the two kids that morning, Ed didn't act like he was lying and neither did her granddaughter.  She took a deep breath.   "I'd like you to take her breakfast down to her... and keep the door open!"  She brought over a tray of food.

"I can do that."  Ed grabbed some buttered toast and shoved it in his mouth, he was grateful to get out of the kitchen and the embarrassment of the old woman KNOWING that he slept in his mechanic's bed last night.  Pinako chuckled as he ran out of the room.  Edward made it to the shop door and turned the handle only to find it locked.  "Hey Winry!"  He positioned the tray in his left hand and knocked on the door with his metal one.  "I, I, have some food for you, open up."  He turned so his back was against the door and he placed his ear to the wood.

"I'm just SO busy, Edward, come back later, OK?"  The door muffled her voice but didn't hide the strange pitch and timbre that was very un-Winry.  The girl couldn't concentrate on her work and had been in the shop thinking for hours before Edward got up.  She tippy-toed to the door and placed her head on the wood on the direct opposite side that Ed rested his.

"Are you sure?"  Ed exhaled.  He really wanted to see her face and figure out if everything between them was alright.  She sure was acting weird, even though she promised no weirdness.  He got no answer from the door.  "Win, Al and I are headed to Ratzul and we'll be back for dinner.  Still, no sound from the shop.  Ed's shoulder's dropped and he set the tray down.  "Food's here, when your ready."  He placed his new hand on the door, feeling the foreign sensation of the hard wood on his steel fingertips.

"EDWARD!"  Al's voice boomed through the house.  "PINAKO!"

Winry had her hand on the door and as soon as she heard the terror in Al's voice she burst outside nearly toppling the alchemist.  "What's wrong?"

"C'mon!"  Edward grabbed her hand with his automail one and pulled her toward the sound of his brother.  His desire to see Winry quickly changed to concern for Alphonse.

"Oh, my god."  Winry's knees felt wobbly.  The scene before her was so similar to one of many years ago, one of a large suite of armor, desperately cradling a bleeding Edward and begging for her and her grandmother to save him.  Only this time, Alphonse was carrying a smaller boy and mercifully, he was not bleeding, but obviously he was hurt.

"He, he just stumbled into the yard when Den and I were playing."  Al held the boy toward Pinako who examined him.

"Fever, and he's exhausted."  She motioned to Alphonse to carry the boy to the sofa in the other room.  "Winry, gets some water, he's probably dehydrated too."

"Yes, Granny."  Winry obediently ran to the kitchen and poured a large glass of water.

"Who is he?"  Edward asked.

"I don't know, Brother,"  Al gently placed the child on the sofa and Pinako continued her exam.

"He's been bitten, here..."  She pointed to a menacing bite on his left forearm, distinct upper and bottom teeth marks unmistakably human.  "But, that's minor.  It looks like he's been running all night.

"Here sweety, drink."  Winry gently raised the boy's head and held the cool glass of water to his parched lips.  He grabbed the glass and downed all of it.

"More!"  He gasped.  "Please?"

"Sure."  She ran off to get it.

"What's your name, kid?"  Edward asked.  "Where did you come from?"

"My name?  It's Tate."  He eyed Winry running back with the water and he grabbed the glass from her, drinking more slowly this time.  "I live...I live in Ratzul village, just south of here."

"Brother, that's where we were to investigate today."

"Yeah, about twenty miles...you must have been traveling all night to get here this morning."

"Did I make it to Risembool?

"You did."  Pinako placed her hand on his shoulder.  "Tell, us why you ran all the way here during the night.  I bet your parent's are worried."

"No!  I can't go back!  You can't make me go back!"  His demeanor changed from calm to hysterical in a second.  He began thrashing and waving his arms, the water glass flying into the air and smashing on the floor.

"It's ok, honey, you can stay here."  Pinako picked up the boy, who instantly calmed down but kept crying.  "Let's get you something for your fever and let you rest, you can tell us everything later, Tate.  Alright?"  She handed the boy to Winry and he clung to her tightly.  "Let's put him in Alphonse's bed and get him comfortable. Edward, get the constable's office on the phone and let him know."  She followed Winry upstairs with Tate.  Edward and Al ran to the phone and dialed for the operator.

"Constable, please."  Edward instructed the operator who told them they would be connected.  The line just rang and rang, no answer.  "Damn it."  Ed slammed the receiver and picked it up again, dialing zero for the operator, the rotary dial humming as it whirled around.  "Operator, I can't get through to the constable, try again."  She connected him again and the same response.  "Al, no one's picking up."

"Maybe they are just away from the phone...like the bathroom?"

"Maybe..."  His attention turned toward Winry, coming down the stairs.

"Is he going to be ok?"  Alphonse asked.

"Yeah, Granny is trying to get him to sleep, he's so tired.  He said he's six years old.  Ed?"

"Yes?"

"Something terrible happened in his village.  He's mortified over it.  Maybe some sleep and he can tell us... What did the constable say?"

"No one picked up the phone."

"That's strange, but we can try again."

"Right." answered Al.

"Winry, we are supposed to be going to his village today.  We'll investigate and try to find his parents.  They can't be hard to locate, they're probably frantic for him now."  Edward put on his red coat.  "...do you know where we could borrow a car?"  He grinned.

"I don't feel right about this, Ed.  Something's wrong there, are you sure you have to go?"

"That's our assignment.  Don't worry, the kid probably just ran away from home or something.  Beside, we're supposed to investigate some old cemetery there, nothing in a boneyard can hurt us."  His eyes squinted.  "Now about that car..."

* * *

"You know how to drive this, don't you?"  Winry stood outside the old convertible roadster as Edward lovingly ran his hands around the steering wheel.

"Sure, nothing to it."  He smiled.

"It's the Newmeyer's, and they only said Granny could borrow it to go to town while they were in East city this summer, so you better take care of it!" She scowled at him.

"Brother and I will take care of it, Win."  Al reassured her but deep down, he was worried.  Edward had only driven a handful of times and never very well.

"Don't worry, we'll be in and out and back for dinner.  Just one thing."

"What?"

"Stay inside and keep the doors locked... and try to get the constable on the phone again before we get back."  He looked up at her and placed his automail hand on her shoulder.  "Stay safe, Win."  He smiled.  Both their cheeks blushed bright pink.  Winry couldn't respond but she backed away and waved at the boys as Ed put the car, or tried to put the car in gear and they sped off.

* * *

The road to Ratzul was bumpy.  The fact that Edward had only driven a car a handful of times and on paved roads in Central didn't help.  Ed's mind wandered when he should have paid attention to the ruts and pot holes on the country road they traveled.  He thought of Winry and worried how the hell he was going to iron their relationship out in the midst of restoring his and Al's bodies.  She told him it would not be strange, but he knew enough about females to know that sometimes they assured you one thing but expected you to know another.

"Watch out!"  Al screamed and held on to his helmet as Ed steered them into a monster of a chuck hole in the road.

"Sorry, Al.  We're almost there.  I told you this was better than hoofing it here."

"Not by much."  Alphonse still held on to his head.  "We're just saving time, but I think I'm losing parts."

"Ah, you're just being a baby."  He turned the wheel drastically to avoid a crater in the road and after over correcting the turn, sent the vehicle careening into the grassy field.  Both brother's screamed in terror as the roadster went airborne.  Ed summoned just enough presence of mind to clap both hands together in a mid-air alchemic reaction transmuting the air, dust and grass below them into a haystack cushioning their fall.

"Ed..."  Al sat up, his hollow body stuffed with hay.  Hay filled the car.  Hay still slowly fell all around them.

"Relax.  We're here anyway."  Ed opened the door and stumbled down the mound of straw.  "It looks like the car is fine.  Let's go!"

Alphonse pulled clumps of the stuff out of his armor as he quickly caught up to his smaller big brother.  The village in front of them was small and quaint like their own.  They walked slowly through the town square to the fountain in the center as water flowed gently on this warm day, the sound of it almost hiding one sinister fact: the village was deserted.  It was late morning and the town should be swarming with people buying and selling and visiting tradesmen.  The only movement now was that of the water flowing in the fountain and the whipping of Ed's coat and hair in the wind.

"Where are all the people?"  Ed whispered loud enough for Al to hear him.  He surveyed the buildings: the butcher shop; the pub; the barber; the schoolhouse-all seemingly empty.

"Perhaps we should start with the town hall, the police?"  Al motioned to a building with a sign that read "Constable."

"Good idea, Brother." Al joined him as they walked toward the building.

Edward turned the knob to the door and slowly opened and entered.  The interior was dark, the only light coming in from the windows and the bright daylight from outside.  It was a small town police station consisting of two jail cells in the back and some administrative desks in the main room, and the Constable's office to the left.  Noticing that The room, including the jail cells were empty, the boys headed toward the office.

"Even if the Constable is out, there is always someone in the office..."  Ed's words were cut off by the blast of a shotgun.  It was a poorly aimed shot, hitting the desk to the boy's right and creating a large crater.  "Take cover!"  Ed yelled as he and Al leapt behind other desks.

"The shot came from the main office."  Al said quietly as he hunkered low.  He may be made of metal but he didn't want the buckshot to dent him up if he could help it.

"I'll flush'em out."  A mischievous grin spread across the elder Elric's face.  He clapped his hands together causing blue alchemic sparks, then slammed both down on the ground.  The flooring rumbled and a line of disturbance ran from the boy's hands toward the office.  A louder rumble roared from the room as the reaction Edward caused made the far wall of the office push forward along with all the furniture and the lone occupant.  A dark figure was forced to exit the door or be crushed.  He had no where to run.  "Stop!"  Edward stood, ready to dodge another blast.  He was joined by his brother.  "Are you the Constable?"  The figure slowly lowered his weapon and spoke.

"You living?"

"'Course we are!"  Edward pulled out his silver pocket watch. " I'm Edward Elric, State Alchemist.  Who are you and why did you try to kill us?"

"Praise Leto."  The man came into the light, his ragged uniform evidence he was an officer of the law.  He looked exhausted and wounded, having a large gash on his left forearm, a gash that also resembled a bite.  "I'm officer Daves... I think I'm the only one left... when is Central sending backup?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Daves, Brother and I were only sent to investigate the looting of the cemetery on the hill."

"The cemetery?"  Daves snickered.  This turned into a boisterous fit of laughter that almost choked him.  "The god damn cemetery is probably the safest place in this town."  He found a chair and painfully lowered his tired body.  "We need guns, not alchemists."  He put his hands over his eyes in despair.

"Officer, get me a phone and I'll get the help we need."  Edward scanned the room and saw a telephone.  This elicited another fit of laughter from Daves.

"Sure, call 'em up.  I don't know why I didn't think about that."

Edward picked up the receiver and held it to his ear.  It was dead.

"Lines are down, cut, gone."  Daves' laughter was almost insane.  "You got any more ideas STATE ALCHEMIST?"

"Al, Daves, come on.  Let's get out of here."  Ed motioned toward the door.  "I've seen all I need to see.  Mr. Daves, you can brief us on the way back to Risembool."

"You don't have to ask me twice."  Daves stood up to join the brothers and as he did, pain shot through his body.  He clutched his sides and shrieked.

"Daves?"  Edward placed a hand on the man's shoulder.

"Stay away!"  He jerked it off and immediately fell to the floor writhing in pain.  "The bite! It bit me.  It was the bite!"  He starred at gash on his flesh then raised his hands to his hair and pulled.  "The bite!"  He convulsed on the floor.

"Ed, what can we do?"

"It's alchemy.  Look!"  Ed pointed toward the man's head.  There was a tiny blue spark and sizzle of flesh as the faint outline of a small transmutation circle etched itself into the center of Daves' forehead.  On cue, Daves' face turned toward the boys.

"If you bastards want to live, you will take this gun and blow my fucking head off!"  Foam and spit flew from razor sharp teeth as he screamed those words, the last words he would utter as a human.  The boys watched in horror as his grin enlarged and his features grew more angular.  His brown eyes glazed over, the pupils blew and irises turned gray.  His muscles stretched and contorted as did his height.  His fingers flexed and long talon-like claws replaced his fingernails.  No longer capable of human speech, Daves growled and then lunged at them.

"Distract him, Al!"  Edward leapt out of the way, as Daves slashed the air with his claws.

"C'mere big ugly!"  Alphonse taunted him, distracting him long enough for Edward to reach the shotgun, long discarded.  Daves turned his attention to Al, and grabbed his arm.  He opened his now gaping maw and brought it down on Al's hand.

"Bite."  Edward committed the scene to memory.  "Stay away from him you Bastard!"

Daves', disgusted that his teeth struck leather and metal instead of flesh, now turned toward Edward.  Alphonse was now considered non-edible and nothing the boy could do would sway the monster's attention from his brother.  Edward was ready, he had the shotgun, raised it and fell backward.  He gulped and pulled the trigger just as the monster reached him.  Officer Daves got his wish for the boy's shot had cleanly blown his head off.  Edward gasped in terror as the headless carcass of the once-human fell in front of him.

"Al...I think we should leave.  Now!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All still thinks Ed and Winry did the do. :)


	5. Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Winry! Why didn't you stay on the god-damned train?

Winry walked down the hall to the boy's room and slowly peeked inside.  She had pulled the blinds and curtains so that Tate could rest; this left the room dark and only illuminated by the cracks of sunlight emanating from the uncovered portions of the windows and the door she just opened.  The boy was still in the bed and sleeping, so she decided to go back downstairs and spend the rest of the morning working in her shop.  Today was laundry day and Granny would be hanging up the wash to dry on the line outside.  The mechanic decided to ask Pinako if she could check back on Tate when she came back into the house.  She came downstairs quickly and poked her head out the kitchen window.

"Granny?"

"Yes, dear?"  The elderly woman peered from behind a white sheet hanging on the line.

"I'm going to work in the shop, can you check on Tate in a while?  He's sleeping still."

"'Course, Winry."  She went back to her laundry.

Winry passed the telephone on her way and decided to try the constable's office again.  She lifted the receiver and dialed for the operator and was connected to the police station.

"Constable."  A voice rang clear on the other line.

"Hello, this is Winry Rockbell, we found a lost boy on our property..."

"Winry, I'm sorry to cut you off.  We've got reports of assaults and crimes coming in from all over and my officers are swamped, is the boy hurt or did he hurt you?"

"Ah, no, we just think he might have run away from Ratzul..."

"As soon as we have a spare man, I'll send someone down there... can you take care of him until then?"

"We can, I'm sure that's not a problem..."

"Please, we've asked for assistance from Central City, if you can just wait, we'll get someone down there as soon as possible.  Please stay on your property, preferably in your house and lock your doors."

"Constable!  What on earth is going on? Should I be afraid?"

"No reports from your area, Winry, but if you can leave Resembool, you might want to until this mess dies down."  Click.  The line went dead.

"Granny!"  Winry ran back to the window.  "Forget the wash, I need to talk to you!"

"What is going on?" Pinako lumbered back inside, a heavy laundry basket on her hip.  Winry recounted what the Constable told her.

"Can Tate travel?"

"Not until his fever breaks."

"Gran, what about you?  Can you take Den to Rush Valley for a while?"  Winry was getting scared. "I can stay with Tate until they send an officer or Ed and Al return, then I can join you."

"Winry, I cant leave you alone."

"I'll be fine.  It's probably nothing."

"I'm not leaving."

"Alright then. Let's pack up and get ready.  I'll get Den inside and we'll just wait for the boys.  At least I'll feel safer with them here."  She ran outside and called Den. Her black dog scampered up the stairs and inside as fast as her automail leg would carry her.  "Good dog. " Winry praised and locked the door behind her.  "Granny, I'm getting some stuff from the shop, be right back."

"I'll get some food from the cellar."  Pinako went one direction with Den following her at the mention of 'food' and Winry went another.

All this commotion stirred the consciousness of the small boy sleeping upstairs.  Fully awake, he sat up and got out of bed.  Despite the things that he saw in Ratzul, the dark room no longer frightened him.  He slowly shuffled toward the door, which was already cracked open and he exited into the hallway.  Slowly, ever so slowly, he inched his way down the hall, down the stairs and he heard a voice.

"Granny!  You don't have to worry about protection!  I've got it right here!"  Winry shouted from her shop.  She found the shotgun Ulrey, her father had bought for Pinako when he and her mother had left for Ishval so many years earlier.  She loaded two shells into the open chamber and snapped the gun shut.

Tate instinctively moved toward the girl's voice.  His stomach growled and something primal inside him told him he'd find food soon.  The door to the shop was open so he entered.  Quietly, he cam upon Winry, her back to him.  His muscles flexed, popping the elastic bands to his sleeves and he lunged.  Winry was startled and turned to see a small creature flying toward her.  She ducked out of the way as the boy hit the shelving where she once stood, causing wood shrapnel and books to fly.

"Tate?"  She couldn't believe the sight before her.  Although still childlike in stature, this creature was no longer the same boy who clung to her in fear as she carried him upstairs that morning.  What was before her now, was a drooling gray beast, with glazed over dead eyes and sharp teeth yet wearing  Tate's clothing.  He snarled and pounced again.  Winry had seconds to react, her instinct she was in danger caused her to raise the shotgun and fire.  The blast boomed throughout the Rockbell house and Den started barking.  Although her instincts were sharp, her aim was off -  the shot only grazed the animal.  He looked up at her with his new primeval, face telling her without words he meant to kill her.  Winry noticed the tiny transmutation circle etched on his forehead as he jumped on her again.  She didn't have time to raise the shotgun before Tate was on her biting the closest part of her to him, her hand.  Razor sharp teeth sank into her flesh but before she could utter a scream, she heard a loud whirling sound and a sickening crack.  She looked up to see that the monster was without a head. When it's body fell away from her, she saw her grandmother standing defiantly, holding a shovel.

"Winry? Are you ok?"  Pinako dropped the shovel and rushed to her granddaughter who was nursing her wounded hand.

"I think so... he got my hand's all."  She showed the wound to Granny, who began riffling through items on the shop table, finding a first aid kit and opening it.

"Was that Tate?"  Gran took out antiseptic and rinsed the wound.

"Yes..." Winry winced as the liquid hit the punctures on her hand.  She still couldn't believe this monster was the same boy.

"I think we should get ready to leave, those boys have alchemy to protect themselves... we don't stand a chance if more of these things happen by..."  She wrapped the affected hand lovingly with a sterile bandage. "

"We can't leave them!"  

"Just do as I say, we'll wait as long as we can at the train station."  She gave her granddaughter a stern look, then regarded the small, headless body with sadness.  "I'll cover him up.  Are you sure you are ok?"

"Yeah, I am.  Just feeling cold, a bit freaked out."  She untied the top part of her coveralls fastened around her waist, put on her work gloves and inserted her arms back into the sleeves.  "You saved my life, Gran." She hugged the small woman, thankful for her.   However, there was no way in hell she'd leave Ed and Al behind - alchemy be damned.

 

* * *

 

"C'mon, Al!"  Edward yelled at his younger brother as they both ran back to the car.  Something caught Al's attention, causing him to fall behind.

"Ed, there's something going on at the church, look!"  He motioned toward the large round building, where Ratzul worshipped Leto.  The door was opened, he was sure it was shut before.

"I don't care, we have enough to get Mustang down here."

The church bell rang calling the inhabitants to worship.

"Brother, what time is it?" Al stopped running.

"Alphonse!" Ed stopped.

"What time is it?"

Edward pulled his silver pocket watch out and flipped the case.  "Twenty past eleven, let's go!"

"Ed, they don't have church service at eleven twenty in the morning on Thursday.  We have to see what is going on at there."  He turned and started off toward the building.

"Al!"  Edward whined but followed his younger brother.  They came to the open door and with each brother on a side, peered into the sanctuary.  Inside, the church was filled to capacity with the remaining inhabitants of Ratzul - all of them dead.  The _people_  inside the church resembled the same  the hulking gray creature Daves had become.  However, much to the brother's horror, some of the figures inside, were indeed walking corpses, evidently the stolen residents of the local cemetery.  A young girl, about twelve years old stood in the pulpit.  Her features were pixi-like and petite with long blond hair flowing but strangely dull and limp around her shoulders.  A small movement from the open doorway caught her quick, gray eyes and she spoke to the monsters before her.

"We have the alchemists, bring them."

"Al...this is not good!"  Edward's eyes grew large as the congregation of dead all turned their heads at once to gaze at the brothers.  Every one of them carried the small transmutation circle upon their forehead.  All of them lunged toward the doorway the brothers stood but the two alchemists had already started sprinting ahead of them.

"C'mon, Ed, you are too slow!"  Alphonse ran past his brother, picking him up and football carrying him along toward the roaster.  The former townspeople were gaining.

"Shit!" Edward cursed. The boy hated being carried, but wasn't going to give Al any trouble right now because he realized the car was still sitting about five feet up on a haystack.  Before he could protest, Alphonse hurled him up and into the front seat.

"Start the car Ed!"  Alphonse shrieked as Ed's fingers fumbled with the ignition and started the roadster.  Al took a running leap and hit the rear of the car with all his might just as Edward knocked it in gear.  The car thrust forward, clearing the haystack and landing with a thud just as the creatures reached Al, grabbing him and crowding around him, pulling him down.

"Alphonse!" Edward stopped the car and clasped his hands together and then on the hard earth.  A line of demarcation shot along the ground and toward the undulating mass of monsters that completely covered Al.  Suddenly, great monoliths of stone shot upward throwing the creatures and the dead and giving Alphonse a break to run free.  Edward got back into the car and put it back into gear.  Al jumped in and they sped away, the things running after.

 

* * *

 

"Boy, the train station is packed!"  Winry sighed as Pinako purchased the tickets to Rush Valley.

"It seems everyone is leaving for the same reason, fear."  She handed a ticket to Winry.  "It was good fortune, they allowed Den to ride in the car with us since we didn't have a carrier for the luggage car."  She patted the dog.

"Gran, I don't want to leave the boys."  They got in the line of people boarding the train.

"I know.  But you called that Mustang fellow and he said he wanted them to stay put until the military arrived...they are coming."  She sighed.  "Edward is an officer as well as an alchemist, he will be expected to fight with his fellow soldiers."  The old woman frowned.

"I don't like it." Winry slowly followed her grandmother and Den onto the train.

"Neither do I."

The trio found their way to a small private car and sat down.  Winry's head lowered and she clinched her fists tightly.  She mulled over and over what she wanted to do.  As the train started moving, she made her decision.  Before Pinako could stop her or protest, the blond shot up and ran out the door.

"Winry!"

"I'm sorry, Gran!  I can't leave them!"  Den barked as the girl ran down the length of the train looking for escape.  She felt the momentum of the train and worried there was no way but she caught sight of a porter getting ready to shut an open door.  "Move!"  She yelled and pushed him aside.  She leapt from the moving train, barely making the platform.

"Winry! You are in trouble, young lady!"  Pinako yelled, her head poking out of a window as the train gained speed.

"Don't worry!  I'll meet up with you in Rush Valley!"  She held her hands to her mouth as she yelled.  Winry Rockbell then decided to walk back home and wait.

 

* * *

 

"Winry! Pinako!"  Edward frantically tore through the Rockbell house.  The whole bumpy ride back to Resembool, he thought about Tate and remembered Pinako describing the bite he had when Al carried him inside.

"No one's here, Ed.  They must have taken Den to the train station..." Edward's voice cut Al off.

"Alphonse!" The elder Elric shouted from Winry's shop.  He found Tate's body, covered with a quilt.

"Tate."  Al whispered and surveyed the damage.  Wood and books scattered the room.  Next to where Winry usually sat working was the shotgun, one shell expended.  Across from the body lay a bloody shovel.  "He, he must have turned and attacked them and they, they had to..."

"Yeah, means they are probably ok."  Edward's eyes narrowed.  "I need to make a phone call."  He left the room and picked up the phone.

"Mustang!  You freak!  What did you send us into!"  Edward screamed into the telephone.  The voice on the line was calm.

"Fullmetal.  The intelligence we had did not indicate any form of chimera's or "monsters."  That has changed.  There is a military transport train arriving in Resembool this afternoon and they are going to Ratzul.  Stay at the Rockbell property and rendezvous with them."

"Bastard."  Edward hung up on him, stuck his hands in his pockets and walked over to Alphonse who was holding a note.

"Ed, Granny and Win are fine, they are going to Rush Valley with Den."  Al handed the note to his brother.

"What a relief.  We just need to hang out and wait...and hope the military gets here before those things do."

"...what things?"  Her voice came from behind.  The boys spun around to the wide-eyed face of Winry Rockbell.

 

* * *

 

"Winry! Why didn't you stay on the god-damned train?  I can't protect you and fight these things at the same time!"  Edward slammed the roadster's door shut and stormed off toward the barn.  The trio long deciding to hold up there and wait.

"Maybe you're the one needing protecting, ever think about that dip wad!"  Winry shot back and crossed her arms decisively.  Alphonse did his best to shrink into this seat, the best a seven foot tall suite of armor could muster.

"You'll have to hide in here until the military arrives."  Ed angrily threw open the barn door and ran back to the car, jumping over the closed door and into the seat. "Stupid gear head."  He muttered under his breath and stepped on the gas, sending the car quickly into the barn, then stopping with a lurch, almost sending the occupants flying.

"What did you call me?"  Winry demanded.

"You heard me."  Edward hissed and got out of the car, then went back to the barn door and closed it.  "Al, start shoring up the openings!"

"You bet!"  Al exited his side of the car and ran as fast as he could to the far door.

"I bet you won't say that to my face, shrimp boy."

"Give me just a second and I'll do just that!  And I'm not short!"  He turned his back to her and clasped his hands together creating his own transmutation circle.  He slammed them upon the ground in front of the barn door and caused and alchemic reaction coalescing the sawdust, dirt, gravel, hay and wood particles into a solid stone door.  They were shut tight.  Alphonse was doing the same with the far barn door and then moving on to the windows and any holes.  Ed strolled confidently over to Winry and poked her slowly in the shoulder with his metal index finger emphasizing each syllable as he spoke, "GEAR...HEAD."  He stood back, crossed his arms and smiled.

"Winry, he's just egging you on, don't..."  Al joined the pair, having finished closing of all openings.

The mechanic's blue eyes boiled with anger.  She threw her gloves aside and pushed up the long, dangling sleeves of her coveralls and socked Ed square in the jaw with a fierce left hook, sending his head flying backwards.

"You ARE short!"  She followed through with a right punch just as he recovered from the first.  "You have rotten breath!"  She kept pummeling his face.  As she did, Ed got a good view of her bandaged right hand, it had been covered by her sleeves.

"Winry! What happened!" He caught her right arm.

"Tate bit me, you bastard!"  She jerked her arm from him, tears streaming from her eyes now.  She then continued her assault on his face.  "Right before he died!"

Edward took a lot of punches from a lot of different people in his young life.  Large people.  Small people.  Human.  Homunculus.  Even though Winry was powerful and she was doing a pretty good job damaging his face, her punches felt like gnat bites as he mulled what she just said around in his head.  "… _bit me.  Bite_."  She was infected with whatever god-forsaken alchemy Daves, Tate, and the whole village of Ratzul had been infected.  He knew she didn't have much time left before she would turn, maybe twelve hours.  Edward was a genius, he knew how to save her but he didn't know if he had it in him to do just what must be done.  He took his hits as she poured obscenities his way.  His blood splattered as she pounded his face over and over.  He didn't care, he deserved it.  He loved her.  He had to save her.  Unfortunately, he didn't have time to explain.

"….and YOU steal the covers in bed!"  This was the last hit as Winry's arms grew tired and her knuckles ached from coming in contact with Ed's skull.  She stopped for a minute as he was not reacting at all.  She expected him to fight back in some way, most likely with words.  But, he just stood there.  She didn't see his metal fist coming until it was too late.  She took the hit on her left cheek hard - the single hit, amplified by the automail knocked her out cold.

"Edward! How could you!"  Alphonse couldn't believe what he saw.  He grew angry.  So angry it clouded his mind with emotion.

"I'm sorry..."  While Winry was in mid-air, Ed transmuted his favorite spear from the ground.  His eyes filled with tears as he quickly brought the blade down, amputating her infected hand just above the wrist.  Her body fell limply and the limb soon followed.

"Ahhhhhh!"  Alphonse tackled his brother and the two fell to the ground with the younger on top of the elder.  "You jerk! How could you!"  He started hitting Ed.

"Al."  Edward uttered meekly.  Al's punches did not feel like gnats at all.  His fists felt like sledge hammers.

"I hate you!"  The younger brother never thought he'd ever utter those words.

"Al." Edward felt his cheekbone shatter with the last hit but relished the pain, his penance for for hitting Winry and taking her hand.  However, it was becoming harder and harder to stay conscious.  He mustered all of his remaining strength to catch Alphonse's right hand and hold it.

"Al.  She's going to bleed to death...hurry..."  He motioned to Al to tear his coat for bandages.

"Brother?"  Alphonse stopped his assault as Ed's reasoning became clear.  He ripped several red bandages from Ed's coat, ran over to Winry and applied pressure to her arm, wrapping the bandages tightly and tucking the arm up inside the crook of her other arm.  He gingerly picked up the hand, he wasn't sure why, but he tucked it away into his breastplate and lovingly carried Winry to Ed's side.   Suddenly, his brother's actions made perfect sense.  "She was infected, wasn't she."  Al wished he could cry.  He needed to cry so badly it hurt.  He was a soul affixed to a suit of armor-cruel fate kept him from shedding the tears he so desperately needed to shed.  He knelt down by his battered brother.

"Yes."  Edward coughed and spat out a mouthful of blood onto the ground.  "I hope we stopped it from spreading."  He was not going to be able to stay awake.

"Brother?"  Al was getting worried.  He held onto Winry to his left and Edward to his right.

"Please stay awake.  I don't want to be alone!"

"Can't."  Was all Ed could say before drifting off to concussion land, his head falling down.

"Edward! Winry!"  Alphonse held them both tightly.  He heard screams and growls from outside the barn.  He knew the barricades wouldn't last long enough for the military to save them.  He was alone.


	6. Emerald Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Are you awake? Your eyes are open. Such beautiful eyes! I hope you like them. I didn't know what you looked like to begin with, so they are probably going to shock you..."

"You can't believe how amazing it will be, Al."  The sweet feminine voice startled him to consciousness.  "You'll live forever, your alchemy will cause Amestris, no, the world to shake at your will."

He became aware that someone was stroking the hair at his temple.  He hadn't realized yet, that he HAD temples in the first place.

"Are you awake?  Your eyes are open.  Such beautiful eyes! I hope you like them.  I didn't know what you looked like to begin with, so they are probably going to shock you..."

He tried to scream but only air escaped his lips.

 

* * *

 

"We've secured the area Colonel, sir!"

"Not a trace?"  Mustang calmly strode into the barn, the structure swarming with blue uniforms.

"Not much.  The Elrics are not here.  There is a lot of blood and signs of struggle... you can see that the things managed to break in."

"As you were, soldier."  He turned from the man and surveyed the room. A dusty roadster, a pool of crimson, one of Ed's tacky alchemy-created spears and a small work glove were all that was found -the spear tip marred in blood.  He picked up the small, brown work glove, a glove commonly used by automail mechanics.  "Miss Rockbell."  He turned.  "Hawkeye!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Gather the team, it appears we just missed them."

 

* * *

 

Alphonse realized the voice was right, his eyes were open.  He then realized, he HAD eyes.  Slowly, the big bright blur changed to a big darker blur then he could make out the shape of a face hovering over his own.

"Are you able to see yet?  I remember it took me a while.  Just relax, it will come."

"Hhhhhhhng!"  Alphonse took his first breath in almost five years.  His body involuntarily shot up to a sitting position.  The air filled his new lungs, it hurt.  IT HURT! He sputtered and coughed and felt small hands steady his shoulder.  He felt the bile raise in his throat and he couldn't help it.  He retched over the side of the table he now sat upon.

"It's ok, shhhhhhh."  She took a cool, wet cloth and wiped his mouth and face, then placed it on the back of his neck.  "It's NOT rejection, I promise... everyone awakes in a different way.  Breathing is a shock to you right now, that's all."  She helped him lay back down.  "This body, although fresh, hasn't had air or tasted water in a while.  You have to temper it, just a little before it becomes autonomic again."

He tried to speak, but it was as if his throat was filled with sand, he turned his head and saw her she was the girl from the church in Ratzul.  She smiled when she saw the recognition in his new eyes.

"I have some ice chips, they'll help get things hydrated inside you."  She placed some inside his mouth and he slowly chewed them.  "I'm so excited for you!  It's like you were born a second time!  I can't wait to show you."  He managed to swallow the ice.

"Ed...warrd?  His parched lips mouthed his brother's name, it shocked him to hear the foreign voice.

"We couldn't repair his lost limbs, if we still HAD them, maybe..."  Alphonse pleaded with her using his new eyes.  "Oh, don't worry, he's fine.  The pretty girl with you is also fine.  That was smart to cut off her hand, she would have been one of THOSE beasts by now if you hadn't."  She shuddered as she said it.  "I never did like it when Keren created those icky things.  They're stupid but effective."  She put more ice in his mouth.

Alphonse strained and raised his right hand into his field of vision.  It was flesh and bone again as well as youthful and strong.  His muscles started responding to the commands of his new brain and he was able to pull himself to a sitting position.  The ice chips the girl had been feeding to him had effectively softened up the lining of his throat, he cleared it and attempted to talk again.

"What did you do to me?"

"Huh?"  She looked at him as if he hurled a terrible insult with his words.  "Al? I've just given you what you've lost... a  human body."

"Whose... body...is...this?"  He felt the pit of his stomach drop and the feeling of nausea crept upon him again.  He dreaded the answer but already knew it.

"Don't worry yourself with logistics of who it is, where it came from... why can't you just be happy it's YOURS now?"  She huffed.

"I want to know!"  He wouldn't be able to live if someone died or was killed for his soul to inhabit the corpse.

"Why don't you take a look first."  She brought over a large, square mirror and held it in front of him.  The face before him was a stranger.  It wasn't the child he remember he looked like or even an older version of that child.  His hair was black, almost as black as Roy Mustang's.  He was fair-skinned and handsome, probably the correct age, about fifteen.  But his eyes were all wrong.  They were emerald green.

"Who... IS... this person!"  He raised his voice and pushed the mirror away.  "Did you KILL him to give me a body!"  He swung his legs to one side of the table realizing he was wearing nothing but loose fitting blue pants, similar to those his brother seemed to wear every time he ended up in the hospital.  He was furious.  He wanted HIS body back - not someone else's body.  The thought that this stranger killed a boy and slapped his own soul to it horrified him.

"You're feisty aren't you."  She backed away, her eyes turning to anger.  "No one KILLED this boy."  She crossed her arms.  "He died of influenza, the newspaper obituary read.  We liberated this shell for future use... you were our future use, Alphonse."

"How?"  He brought his cold hand to his forehead and ran it through his bangs.

"As soon as you were found, Keren sensed something different.  One only had to remove your helmet to see the blood seal and it was all clear."  She moved closer. "Your brother did this, did he not?"

"He did it to save me, my body was taken..."  He did not want to give her any more information.  He did not want to tell her that his body was taken as part of the toll for seeing the truth when he and Edward tried to bring their dead mother back.

"Well, it was crudely done, very amateur."

"We were only children... he did the best he could to bond my soul to that armor, to save me from being lost forever."

"Alphonse, now you are bonded to a REAL human body.  You will never grow old, the alchemy has taken care of that.  You will never die, unless your body is destroyed or your new seal is broken."

" Blood seal?"

"Sort of..."  She placed her hand on his chest, just over his heart.  When she removed it, he could clearly see a red tattoo etched into his skin.  It was about three inches across and clearly a transmutation circle of sorts, but of a type he had never seen before and not at all like the one his brother scrawled in his own blood on the inside of the armor suit so many years before.

"This now bonds you to this body and to this world."  Her words mesmerized him.  "It will not wash away.  The alchemy from this circle I've activated on your chest not only anchors your soul but forces your dead heart to beat and your dead body to LIVE.  I have one too."  She moved the white eyelet fabric of her neckline to the side to reveal an identical circle over her heart.

"Many you will meet, your new comrades, will bear this sign."  She smiled with pride.

"Who are you?"

"Call me, ILA.  I follow Keren of Ishval who will soon be Keren, Fuhrer of Amestris."

"I want to see my brother."  His head was bent, still resting on his hands, his eyes dark.

"He's not awake yet, he was beaten _quite severely_..."  She knew these last words cut into him, she knew HE had done the severe beating.

"Please.  Take me to Edward and Winry."  He raised his head and looked at her with his large emerald eyes, pleading.

"Stay here, Alphie dear, don't you think I should warm them up to the new you first?  Let me introduce you properly.  I'll be right back!"  She blew him a kiss, twirled and quickly left the room.

"Wait!"  Al tried to follow, but his legs were not ready to support his weight yet and he fell to the floor.

 

* * *

 

Winry took close charge of her small surroundings.  Four walls.  A door.  A cot.  She'd tried the door but it was locked tight.  She awoke in total darkness, sore and scared.  After her body adjusted to the lack of light, she tried yelling and screaming and banging on the door, to no avail.  Where was Ed... Al?  She tried to remember what happened before she awoke but only could remember being in a barn and fighting with Ed.  Her arm bothered her too, specifically, her hand tingled slightly like she had slept on it.  Moving and flexing it did help though.  She had searched the room for something she could use to get the door open and found nothing so she sat on the utilitarian cot and waited.  Suddenly, she heard the lock mechanism for the door moving.

"Hello?"  Winry stood as the door slowly opened, light trickling inside the room.  There before her was a young girl, dressed all in white.  Her hair was long and so blond, it was almost the same color of her dress.  Her eyes were large and cold gray and there was no comfort in her smile.

"Are you well?"  Ila threw back the door and entered the room.  "I was so worried - you lost so much blood."

"Huh?"  Winry could now see her surroundings and herself.  She was still wearing her coveralls and as she looked down, she saw that they were stained in blood, a lot of blood.  She felt a little woozy and sat down.  "What happened?"

"You were bitten."  She sat down next to the blond and gently grabbed her injured hand, bringing it into the light.  "Edward severed your hand, that kept you from turning into a monster."

"He, what?"

"See?"  She traced her small index finger along a hair-fine white scar that ran the circumference around Winry's wrist, barely noticeable, but there.  "I put it back on for you, figured you'd like to have two hands instead of one."  She smiled.

"Where's Edward?"  Winry's eyes turned serious.  "Alphonse?"

"I'll take you to Edward, I need to check on him too.  Now, Alphie... he's going to take a little explaining before you see him."  She rose and gently guided Winry toward the open door.  Ila held the mechanic's left hand and rubbed circles with her free hand in the small of her back as they exited.

"Is Alphonse alright too?"  She stepped quickly, the girls touch making her uncomfortable.

"Oh, he's better than alright... you'll see. First, Edward."  She guided Winry around a corner to another door, opened it and they were inside a large room.

"Where are we?"

"Welcome to the Church of Leto in Ratzul.  It's our HQ for now."  She smiled.  "There's the golden boy!"

"Ed?"  Winry realized she had been here before when she was a child.  Granny took her to services here years ago, after her parents died but before Ed and Al lost their bodies.  They only went once, and she never really knew just why they went in the first place but she definitely remembered the meeting hall in the basement of the church, it creeped her out then and creeped her out now.  Most morbidly of all, the vision of Edward motionless on the altar made her heart skip a beat. "Edward!"  She broke free of the freaky girl's hand and rushed to the raised sanctuary.  Edward lay on the wooden altar unconscious with his automail arm removed. His face was battered, bruised and patched up with bandages.  She took both sides of his head in her hands and leaned in close.  "Ed?  Please wake up.  Wake up!" He began to stir, his face contorting.  "Speak to me Edward!"

"Hnnn?"

"Ooooh!  It's like sleeping beauty!  Kiss him, he'll wake up!"  Ila clasped her hands together with glee.

"Winry?"  He opened his eyes and amber met blue eyes staring at him and she was scared.  He raised his flesh hand to his head and rubbed.  "Ouch."

"Ed!"  She hugged him.

"No, not a hug, a kiss!"  Ila's prodding became obnoxious.

"Edward, I'm so sorry I hit you..."  She lightly touched some of his bruises, thinking she had done it.  He slowly sat up.  "You?  Winry, you can hit like a man, but it wasn't you that did this... wait!"  He pulled her hand up, seeing it fully restored, but he noticed the fine white scar.  "I deserved every single punch."  He traced the pale scar on her wrist with regret and loathed the fact that he caused even the slightest mar on her perfect body.

"Edward, this girl... she said she healed me, I still don't understand or remember what happened."  She looked down at her bloodied coveralls.  Edward winced, not wanting to explain how he hit Winry so hard she blacked out and in the next second he had to cut off her hand.

"Hey?  Where's Al?"  He launched himself off the table and turned toward Ila.  "Where's my little brother?"  Anger started to boil within him.

"He's fine..."  Her sentence was cut off by the sounds of footsteps entering the meeting hall.

"Who's there?"  Edward couldn't see past the candlelight of the altar.

"Ed?"  A male voice echoed through the basement, an unfamiliar voice.

"Show yourself!"

Slowly, a dark figure approached the trio.  His steps were unsure and unsteady.  He was young, handsome and dark-haired.  The figure made his way to the altar and steadied himself.

"Who are you?"  Winry asked, but deep inside, the familiar feeling in her gut told her the truth.

"It's me!  Don't you see?  It's _me_... Al!"  His face came into the light and his emerald eyes glowed.

Ila laughed.


End file.
